Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
  • B01F35/71—Feed mechanisms
  • B01F35/712—Feed mechanisms for feeding fluids
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
  • B67D1/0042—Details of specific parts of the dispensers
  • B67D1/0057—Carbonators
  • B67D1/0058—In-line carbonators
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
  • B01F23/20—Mixing gases with liquids
  • B01F23/23—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids
  • B01F23/236—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids specially adapted for aerating or carbonating beverages
  • B01F23/2362—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids specially adapted for aerating or carbonating beverages for aerating or carbonating within receptacles or tanks, e.g. distribution machines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
  • B01F23/20—Mixing gases with liquids
  • B01F23/23—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids
  • B01F23/236—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids specially adapted for aerating or carbonating beverages
  • B01F23/2363—Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams; Arrangements, e.g. comprising controlling means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
  • B01F35/71—Feed mechanisms
  • B01F35/717—Feed mechanisms characterised by the means for feeding the components to the mixer
  • B01F35/7174—Feed mechanisms characterised by the means for feeding the components to the mixer using pistons, plungers or syringes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
  • B01F35/71—Feed mechanisms
  • B01F35/717—Feed mechanisms characterised by the means for feeding the components to the mixer
  • B01F35/7176—Feed mechanisms characterised by the means for feeding the components to the mixer using pumps
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
  • B01F35/71—Feed mechanisms
  • B01F35/717—Feed mechanisms characterised by the means for feeding the components to the mixer
  • B01F35/71805—Feed mechanisms characterised by the means for feeding the components to the mixer using valves, gates, orifices or openings
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
  • B01F35/75—Discharge mechanisms
  • B01F35/754—Discharge mechanisms characterised by the means for discharging the components from the mixer
  • B01F35/7544—Discharge mechanisms characterised by the means for discharging the components from the mixer using pumps
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F2101/00—Mixing characterised by the nature of the mixed materials or by the application field
  • B01F2101/06—Mixing of food ingredients
  • B01F2101/14—Mixing of ingredients for non-alcoholic beverages; Dissolving sugar in water
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
  • B01F35/71—Feed mechanisms

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an apparatus for treatment and distribution of beverages comprising the features recited in the preamble of claim 1.
• the invention also relates to a method of treating and distributing beverages comprising the features recited in the preamble of claim 12.
• the subject matter of the present invention addresses to apparatus for treatment and distribution of beverages, in particular water, adapted for installation in public and/or private facilities.
• apparatus connected to a common drinking-water distribution system or other supply means are arranged to dispense water and gassed water at room temperature and/or cooled, so that they are provided with a system for water gassing and a system for water cooling.
• the gassing system generally involves the presence of a saturator having a collecting container arranged to partly hold gassed water and partly carbon dioxide under pressure. Water gassing takes place within the collecting container and is carried out by admission of a vertical water jet at high pressure. The admitted water jet penetrates into the water mass present within the collecting container carrying along the overlying carbon dioxide. This operation generates many turbulences in the water that will promote carbon dioxide dissolution.
• the cooling system generally consists of a refrigerator of the coil type operatively associated with a water- storage tank hydraulically connected to the water distribution system and the dispenser.
• the collecting container of the saturator is immersed in the water held in the storage tank, so that the cooling action of the coil refrigerator is also transmitted to the gassed water contained in the saturator.
• US Patent 4764315 discloses an apparatus for treatment and distribution of beverages rather similar to the one mentioned above, in which provision is made for a storage tank cooled by a coil refrigerator and a saturator for water gassing integrated into the storage tank.
• the Applicant has found that known apparatus for treatment and distribution of beverages, while ensuring a supply of ungassed and gassed water which has been cooled and/or is at room temperature, are not however free from some drawbacks and can be further improved under different points of view, mainly in connection with the quality of the obtained gassing operation as well as in terms of structural simplicity, compactness and manufacturing and marketing costs of the apparatus itself.
• apparatus provided with hydraulic pumps of the reciprocating type emit undesirable vibrations and noise during the pump operation. Vibrations are partly caused by possible impacts of the pump plunger against the cylinder inside which the plunger reciprocates and by water hammers imparted to the water mass during delivery of same .
• a further aim of the invention is to devise a noiseless apparatus, i.e. that does not emit vibrations and annoying sounds during operation of its hydraulic pumps.
• Apparatus 1 comprises means 2 for feeding at least one beverage which is connected to a dispenser 4, through a feeding circuit 3.
• Apparatus 1 is further provided with saturation means 5 operatively associated with the feeding circuit 3 to submit the beverage from the feeding means 2 to a gassing process.
• the feeding means 2 comprises one or more fitting devices 6 for hydraulically connecting apparatus 1 to a beverage supply source 7.
• the supply source 7 preferably consists of a drinking- water distribution system so that the beverage being fed to apparatus 1 is represented by the water present in said water distribution system.
• apparatus 1 should be provided with interchangeable supply containers (not shown) holding the water or other beverage to be fed.
• the feeding means 2 further contemplates the presence of a collecting container 8 hydraulically associated with the feeding circuit 3 immediately downstream of the fitting devices 6 so that the beverage from said fitting devices flows into the collecting container 8 through a first duct 9 of the feeding circuit 3.
• a cooling device (not shown, as known by itself) may be further associated with the collecting container 8; the function of said cooling device is to cool the collecting container and consequently the water contained therein by means of one or more coil ducts for example, through which a cooling fluid runs and that circumscribe the structure of the collecting container itself.
• the feeding means 2 can be provided with at least one auxiliary pump 10 hydraulically connected to the feeding circuit 3 upstream of the saturation means 5 to send the beverage from the supply source 7 to the latter, at a predetermined pressure value.
• the auxiliary pump 10 has a suction opening 10a hydraulically connected, by a second duct 11 of the feeding circuit 3, to the collecting container 8 and a delivery opening 10b hydraulically connected to the saturation means 5, through a third duct 12 of the feeding circuit 3.
• the auxiliary pump 10 is set to suck the beverage present in the collecting container 8 and send it to the saturation means 5 thereby increasing pressure therein at least until a value included between 1.5 and 3 bars.
• the auxiliary pump 10 can be omitted if apparatus 1 is connected to a water distribution system or other supply source 7 capable of ensuring a sufficient feeding pressure, included just as an indication between 1.5 and 3 bars .
• a first one-way valve 13 is operatively in engagement with the third duct 12 so that the beverage circulating within said duct can only flow towards the saturation means 5.
• the saturation means 5 comprises at least one pump 14 operatively associated with the feeding circuit 3 to gas the water or other beverage from the feeding means 2, and a pre-mixing device 15 operatively connected to pump 14 to mix the beverage with a gas, preferably carbon dioxide.
• the pre-mixing device 15 is operatively interposed between the auxiliary pump 10 and pump 14 and is hydraulically connected, by a fourth duct 16 of the feeding circuit 3, to means 17 for supply of the above mentioned gas.
• the supply means 17 may consist for example of a bottle or other similar hermetically sealed container provided with an appropriate pressure reducer 18 to adjust pressure of the gas being supplied, sent to the pre- mixing device 15. Furthermore, operatively in engagement with the fourth duct 16 is a second one-way valve 19 enabling gas passage exclusively from the supply means 17 to the pre-mixing device 15.
• the pre-mixing device 15 has a preferably Y-shaped hollow body having a first inlet opening 15a connected to the third duct 12 and a second inlet opening 15b connected to the fourth duct 16 so that through the first and second inlet openings 15a, 15b, the beverage from the auxiliary pump 10 and the gas from the supply means 17 are introduced into the pre-mixing device 15.
• the pre-mixing device 15 further has at least one outlet opening 15c directly connected to the pump 14 of the saturation means 15.
• pump 14 is directly connected to the pre- mixing device 15 by a suction opening 14a and has at least one delivery opening 14b hydraulically connected to dispenser 4 , by a fifth duct 20 which is preferably made of a metal or other rigid material.
• Pump 14 can be positive-displacement pumps, preferably of the reciprocating type.
• at least pump 14 is a pump of the reciprocating plunger type, i.e. comprising a cylinder within which a plunger with a reciprocating motion runs.
• the reciprocating plunger pump 14 used may, in known manner, comprise a coil fed with alternating current and disposed around the cylinder-plunger assembly, and the plunger may be movable within said coil. Under this situation, the plunger is movable with a reciprocating motion along the cylinder by effect of the magnetic field induced by the coil.
• the plunger within the cylinder of pump 10 defines a suction environment and a delivery environment that, in operation, are suitably brought into communication with each other by one-way valves integrated into appropriate passage ports.
• said pump 14 can be replaced by any hydraulic pump adapted to cyclically generate pressure waves capable of breaking the fluid vein of the beverage. Within the beverage being fed, this involves formation of cavitations of such a nature that suction of the gas being supplied and consequent dispersion of said gas in the beverage is ensured.
• the last-mentioned feature is particularly advantageous because, in the absence of said pressure waves, a regular entrance of the two fluids would tend to be hindered by the different physico-chemical features of the fluids themselves and by pressure differences between said fluids. In particular, it would be sufficient that the feeding pressure of one or both fluids were slightly different from an optimal value that a single fluid would enter the pump, thereby jeopardizing operation of apparatus 1.
• gassing of the beverage by acting on the pressure reducer 18 or the auxiliary pump 10, in order to adjust the pressure difference between the beverage being fed and the gas being supplied.
• a marked gassing of the beverage just as an indication in the order of about 14 g/1, can be obtained by acting on apparatus 1 in such a manner that the gas should have a pressure 0.5 bar higher than the beverage pressure.
• a soft gassing in the order of about 5 g/1, can be obtained by acting on apparatus 1 in such a manner that the beverage pressure be about 0.5 bar higher than the gas pressure.
• apparatus 1 may further comprise at least one enriching unit 21 operatively associated with the feeding circuit 3 to introduce thereinto at least one flavouring substance 22 or an additive of other type.
• the enriching unit 21 is hydraulically connected to the feeding circuit 3 upstream of the dispenser 4 and, preferably, upstream of the saturation means 5.
• the enriching unit 21 comprises a holding vessel 23 inside which the additive substance 22 is stored.
• the holding vessel 23 is hydraulically connected to the third duct 12 between the mixing device 15 and the first one-way valve 13 by a sixth duct 24 of the feeding circuit 3.
• a third one-way valve 25 enabling passage of the additive substance 22 exclusively from the holding vessel 23 of the enriching unit 21 to the third duct 12.
• the strong pulses generated by pump 14 enable suction of the additive substance 22 through the fifth one-way valve 25 even if this passage tends to be counteracted by the pressure of the beverage being fed.
• the pump action causes cyclical negative pressures in the presence of which passage of the additive substance 22 in small amounts through the one-way valve 25 takes place.
• the third one-way valve 25 can advantageously be of the adjustable type, to enable correct measurement of the additive substances 22 depending on requirements.
• adjustment of the third one-way valve 25 can be carried out depending on the viscosity or the physico- chemical features of the substance 22 therein employed.
• apparatus 1 may be also provided with a saturator (not shown, as known) operatively associated with the feeding circuit 4.
• a saturator (not shown, as known) operatively associated with the feeding circuit 4.
• the saturator is provided with a collecting container arranged to partly house gassed water and partly carbon dioxide under pressure, said saturator can be provided in place of the collecting container 8 so that the beverage from the supply source 7 would be first submitted to gassing in the saturator to be then submitted to the gassing operation carried out by the saturation means 5.
• the apparatus itself has been conceived for beverage gassing in the absence of saturators of the type mentioned above.
• the beverage from the supply source 7 passes through the fitting devices 6 and the first duct 9 of the feeding circuit 4, to fill the collecting container 8. Since the latter is submitted to the action of the cooling means, also the beverage contained therein is cooled.
• the beverage from the collecting container 8 runs into the second duct 11 of the feeding circuit 4 until the possible auxiliary pump 10.
• apparatus 1 When the dispenser is operated by a user for drawing the beverage off, apparatus 1 is automatically started.
• Starting of apparatus 1 involves operation of the auxiliary pump 10 and pump 14.
• the auxiliary pump 10 takes in, through its suction opening 10a, the beverage from the second duct 11 sending it, at a higher pressure than the entering pressure, to the first inlet opening 15a of the pre-mixing device 15 through the delivery opening 10b, the third duct 12 and the first one-way valve 13.
• pump 14 during the sucking step creates a negative pressure within the hollow body of the pre-mixing device 15 and consequently within the third, fourth and sixth ducts 12, 16, 24 of the feeding circuit 3.
• the additive substance 22 runs through the third one-way valve 25 and reaches the pre-mixing device 15 together with the beverage fed to the third duct 12. Simultaneously, also the gas under pressure from the supply means 17 flows through the fourth duct 16, towards the pre-mixing device 5.
• the optionally-flavoured beverage and the gas enter the hollow body of the pre-mixing device 15 through the first inlet opening 15a and the second inlet opening 15b respectively of the device itself. Due to the particular shape of the hollow body, the flows of the two fluids introduced into the pre-mixing device 15 are directed in converging trajectories, so that these fluids strike against each other giving origin to turbulences that will cause a preliminary dissolution of the gas in the optionally-flavoured beverage.
• the suction and compression actions carried out by the plunger cause a further mixing of the beverage and gas, thereby greatly increasing the gassing degree of the beverage itself.
• mixing and therefore gassing of the beverage is promoted to a high degree by effect of an instantaneous raising of pressure taking place, during each delivery stroke of the plunger, on the small amount of beverage previously sucked into pump 14, that just as an indication does not exceed 10 cc, concurrently with ejection of the beverage itself through the delivery opening 14b.
• pressure peak values in the order of 20 bars or even higher can be easily reached within the pump itself.
• the high pressure reached within the pump concurrently with the strong pulses and turbulences generated in the beverage due to its forced passage through the valves usually associated with the suction and delivery environments, ensure a fine dispersion of the gas in the liquid phase and, therefore, an efficient and lasting gassing of the beverage.
• the gas dispersed in the beverage in the form of small bubbles advantageously gives the gassed beverage a certain degree of compressibility.
• the beverage behaves like an elastic mass mitigating possible impacts generated by the reciprocating movement of the plunger, damping the water hammers due to the strong pulses of the delivery pressure. The energy transmitted by these pulses promotes gas dissolution and consequently gassing preservation in the beverage.
• the gassed beverage coming out of pump 14 runs through the fifth duct 20 and is distributed through dispenser 4 in a continuous manner.
• the rigid structure of the fifth duct is particularly advantageous because it does not at all mitigate the water hammers generated by pump 14 which therefore ensure the beverage gassing.
• the present invention solves the problems found in the known art and achieves the intended purposes.
• the apparatus of the present invention enables achievement of an excellent gassing of the beverage being dispensed because the beverage gassing is carried out instantaneously by means of pump 14 during ejection of the beverage itself through dispenser 4.
• the invention carries out gassing on small water amounts, definitely smaller than the beverage volume required at each drawing off, according to a repeated high-frequency operating cycle for an undetermined period of time, thus making it possible to continuously dispense the gassed beverage in any amount.
• the low cost of said pumps enables the manufacturer to double the pump number equipping the apparatus without affecting the overall costs of the apparatus itself too much.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Preparation And Processing Of Foods (AREA)
• Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11447414

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (5)

Citations (7)

• 2001
  • 2001-03-30 IT IT2001MI000688A patent/ITMI20010688A1/it unknown
  • 2001-12-19 WO PCT/IT2001/000646 patent/WO2002079073A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (7)

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